Preventive Dental Care

Complete Oral Exams

The best way to preserve the health of your teeth and gums is to maintain a sensible oral hygiene regimen. In addition to daily brushing and flossing, this includes regular dental examinations and professional cleanings.

When you visit Sharon Dental Group for general dental services, you’ll receive the highest level of dental care. Our complete oral exams includes:

Dental Cleanings and Oral Hygiene

The friendly, knowledgeable dental hygienists at Sharon Dental Group perform a thorough professional dental cleaning, as well as teach you how to continue to keep your smile healthy. Comfortable surroundings, exceptional care, and a welcoming staff are just a few of the reasons our patients love us. And when you come for your dental cleaning appointment, you’ll understand why. Your dental cleaning appointment will include:

Tartar Removal — Calculus, or tartar, is hardened plaque that has firmly attached to the tooth surface. Calculus forms above and below the gum line and must be removed by a dental hygienist.

Plaque Removal — Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on your teeth. It’s a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. If not periodically removed, the bacteria produce toxins that infect and inflame the gums, the warning signs of periodontal disease.

Teeth Polishing — This removes stains and plaque that are not removed during tooth brushing and scaling.

Home Care Instructions — You’ll leave each dental visit with clear, easy-to-follow instructions on how to properly care for your teeth and continue to keep your winning smile – and a complimentary tooth brush!

A professional dental cleaning can help ensure you keep your smile bright and healthy. To schedule a professional dental cleaning with Sharon Dental Group’s experienced dental team, please make an appointmentor contact our Sharon dentist office today.

Oral Cancer Screening

Did you know that oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer, accounting for 40,000 newly diagnosed cancers each year? As part of Sharon Dental Group‘s comprehensive general dentistry services, our skilled Sharon dentists perform free oral cancer screening and examinations during your routine check-ups. It’s just one of the many special services that we offer our patients — and one of the reasons why people from all over New England choose the multi-specialty dentists at Sharon Dental Group for their dental care.

Oral cancer often starts as a tiny, unnoticed white or red spot or sore anywhere in the mouth. It can affect any area of the oral cavity including the lips, gum tissue, cheek lining, tongue, and the hard or soft palate. Regular dental check-ups, including an examination of the entire mouth, can detect cancerous and pre-cancerous conditions.

Low Radiation Dental X-Rays

At Sharon Dental Group, we’re focused on using the most advanced technology to provide the greatest benefits to our patients. This is why we use digital x-rays to produce consistently safer, better results. Here’s why our patients find our low-radiation digital x-rays to be superior to any other x-ray technology:

Better Results — The low radiation digital x-ray technology we use provides results as accurate as conventional x-rays, and reveals things that film x-rays simply can’t. Plus, the digital image can be magnified 300x its normal size to enhance diagnosis.

Home Dental Care Education

Every Sharon Dental Group dentist believes in being a true partner with you in your oral health care. Because good oral health is associated with overall physical health, each Sharon Dental Group dentist is committed to educating you about the maintenance and care of your mouth.

Your Sharon Dental Group dentist will show you the proper way to brush and floss, and we’ll discuss the warning signs of periodontal disease to watch out for, like swollen or bleeding gums. And if you have any special concerns or medical conditions, such as diabetes, we can show you how to safely and effectively care for your teeth.

Contact us today to learn how the Sharon Dental Group multi-specialty team of experienced dentists will help you establish a foundation of good oral health to last a lifetime.

Fluoride Treatment – Adults and Children

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that has been utilized for many years to help prevent tooth decay. Tooth decay begins when the bacteria and sugars present in the mouth form acids that erode the tooth’s protective enamel. These acids cause minerals to be lost from the tooth’s enamel layer, a process called demineralization. Left unchecked, this can lead to the formation of holes (cavities) in the teeth.

Fluoride helps strengthen the teeth through process called remineralization wherein the mineral bonds to weakened areas of tooth enamel. It also disrupts acid production, helping to inhibit the process that leads to tooth decay.

Fluoride can benefit people of all ages. Children who get adequate fluoride while their teeth are still forming will develop permanent teeth that are stronger and more decay-resistant over a lifetime. Adults who are particularly susceptible to tooth decay also benefit from fluoride application.

While fluoride can help reverse early tooth decay and prevent cavities, it cannot heal cavities that have already formed. Therefore, it is a great and cost-effective strategy for maintaining dental health and preventing more expensive problems later on.

Don’t we get enough fluoride already?

Because the benefits of fluoride are widely recognized, the mineral is added in low concentrations to drinking water in many areas. It is also an ingredient in most toothpastes. However, children and individuals at increased risk of tooth decay can benefit from fluoride treatments that contain a much higher concentration of the mineral than is present in drinking water or in over-the-counter products. This type of treatment is only available from your dentist.

Who will benefit most from fluoride treatment?

Children whose permanent teeth have not yet developed. Early exposure to fluoride during fortifies the permanent teeth before they even emerge, leading to teeth that are stronger and more decay-resistant for a lifetime.

Individuals with dry mouth. Saliva helps neutralize acid and protect the teeth. Therefore, those with conditions that cause dry mouth (including diabetes, Sjogren’s syndrome and conditions that require radiation therapy) or who take certain medications (such as drugs for allergies, depression and high blood pressure) can benefit from fluoride treatment.

Those with a history of cavities. These individuals may be more susceptible to future decay.

Those with poor dental hygiene. Illnesses or conditions that limit one’s ability to brush or floss regularly can lead to the buildup of plaque and tarter, causing tooth decay.

Individuals who have crowns or bridges. Their teeth are particularly susceptible to decay at the point where the restoration meets the tooth.

Individuals with braces. Braces can trap food, making it harder to floss and brush adequately.

Frequent snackers and those with a high-sugar diet. Increased exposure to plaque and bacteria puts the enamel at greater risk.

Bottled-water drinkers and others who don’t get enough fluoride.

Is fluoride safe?

Fluoride has been in use for many years and has been approved as safe and effective by most major health and safety organizations. Although excessive amounts of fluoride for prolonged periods of time can harm the teeth and bones and, very rarely, cause more serious problems, your dentist will ascertain whether you are a candidate for a fluoride treatment. The fluoride applied during a fluoride treatment is safe and effective.

Only one appointment is required for a fluoride treatment. Your dentist will put a flavored fluoride gel or foam into a tray that resembles a mouth guard. This tray will be kept in the mouth for one to four minutes, after which you may spit the solution out. You will then be asked to refrain from drinking, eating, smoking or rinsing for 30 minutes. Some dentists use a different type of fluoride, called a varnish, which is painted on to the teeth rather than used with a tray.

To learn more about fluoride treatments, request an appointment with our experienced team at Sharon Dental Group today.

Dental Sealants – Adults and Children

Healthy teeth? Keep them that way!

A dental sealant is a thin plastic coating applied to the grooves on the chewing surfaces of healthy, decay-free teeth. Sealants create a physical barrier that literally “seals out” the food and bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Sealants are most often used on the back teeth, which are the teeth at most risk for decay and cavities. These teeth have deep grooves that are too narrow to be reached by toothbrush bristles. Because these grooves and fissures are difficult to clean, food and bacteria can become trapped there. Although fluoride is a great tool in the arsenal against tooth decay, it only works on the smooth surfaces of the teeth. When it comes to protecting the grooves of the teeth, sealants are most effective.

Sealants are a very cost effective way to maintain dental health. Sealant protection for one tooth typically costs less than a traditional amalgam (silver) filling costs and just a fraction of the cost of a root canal or crown restoration. The protection provided by sealants usually lasts for many years.

Not just for children…

Both children and adults can benefit from the added protection sealants provide. Children benefit greatly from sealants for several reasons. The enamel on a newly erupted tooth takes a full three years to mature. This leaves young teeth especially vulnerable to decay. Children also sometimes have difficulty maintaining good dental hygiene. However, it is never too late for sealants—adults are also at risk for tooth decay and should consider sealants, especially when they have risk factors for cavities.

Sealants are highly durable and can work for many years. However, as with most dental work they may someday require repair or replacement.

Only one brief appointment (30 to 60 minutes) is required to seal all of the back teeth. First, the teeth will be thoroughly cleaned with air abrasion. Your dentist will then apply an etching solution to roughen the surface of the teeth so the sealant material can better adhere. The chewing surfaces are then thoroughly dried and the sealant material carefully applied to the grooves of the teeth. An ultraviolet light or laser is used to harden the material so it is firmly bonded to the teeth for a tight protective seal. After a careful inspection to ensure that the seal is secure, your procedure is complete.

Find out if dental sealants are a good option for your smile - request an appointment with Sharon Dental Group today.